ELECTRICAL SAFETY MANAGEMENT (OPEN ELECTIVE)

Course Code: 15EE1149

COURSE OUTCOMES:

At the end of the course the student shall be able to

CO1: Explain the objectives and precautions of Electrical Safety, effects of Shocks and their
Prevention.
CO2: Summarize the Safety aspects during Installation of Plant and Equipment.
CO3: Describe the electrical safety in residential, commercial and agricultural installations.
CO4: Describe the various Electrical Safety in Hazardous Areas, Equipment Earthing and
System Neutral Earthing.
CO5: State the electrical systems safety management and IE rules.
UNIT-I:
INTRODUCTION TO ELECTRICAL SAFETY, SHOCKS AND THEIR PREVENTION
UNIT-II:
SAFETY DURING INSTALLATION OF PLANT AND EQUIPMENT
UNIT-III:
ELECTRICAL SAFETY IN RESIDENTIAL, COMMERCIAL AND AGRICULTURAL
INSTALLATIONS
UNIT-IV
ELECTRICAL SAFETY IN HAZARDOUS AREAS
EQUIPMENT EARTHING AND SYSTEM NEUTRAL EARTHING

UNIT-V
SAFETY MANAGEMENT OF ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS
REVIEW OF IE RULES AND ACTS AND THEIR SIGNIFICANCE

TEXT BOOKS:
1. S. Rao, Prof. H.L. Saluja, “Electrical safety, fire safety Engineering and safety
management”, Khanna Publishers. New Delhi, 1988.(units-I to V)
2. www.apeasternpower.com/downloads/elecact2003.pdf (Part of unit-V)

REFERENCES:
1. Pradeep Chaturvedi, “Energy management policy, planning and utilization”, Concept
Publishing company, New Delhi, 1997.
 UNIT-I

INTRODUCTION TO ELECTRICAL SAFETY, SHOCKS AND

THEIR PREVENTION
Electricity is dangerous. But, Electricity is very useful and essential in modern life.
Electricity is used in houses, plants, factories, farms, public places and practically every
working place for lighting, operating appliances and machines, heating or cooling, transport
etc. By taking proper precautions, Electricity can be used very safely.
By following electrical safety rules and regulations, by taking safety precautions at
every stage and by taking adequate safety training to personnel the electricity can be used very
safely. The Objective is “100 % Safety and 0 % Accidents/mishaps”. The motto is “ Safety
at every stage, safety first and safety always”.
TERMS AND DEFINITIONS:
1. Accident: An unpleasant, unexpected, unforeseen or unintended happening sometimes
resulting from negligence, that results in injury, loss, damage etc. and is caused by a mistake
or machine failure or natural disaster.
Accidents may cause ‘Mishap, ruin, destruction, injury, death’. Accidents must be
prevented by precautions and safety measures and safety management.

2. Danger: A thing or situation which may cause ‘injury, loss, accident, etc’. Such a thing or
situation is ‘dangerous’, risky.

3. Hazard: To expose to ‘danger, risk, chance of accident’.

Hazardous: ‘Dangerous, Risky, Accident prone’.

4. Safety: A quality or condition of being safe from ‘danger, injury, damage, loss, accident’.
Safe: Free from ‘injury, damage, loss, accident’.

5. Safety Devices: Devices which ensure safety against injury or loss.

Eg: Safety belt, Safety glasses, Safety earthing, Safety enclosure, Safety fence etc.

6. Safe Guard: Any person or thing or device that prevents injury, loss, and ensure safety and
security.

7. Security: State of sense or safety protection or defense against attack, interference,

sabotage etc.

8. Precaution: Care or measure taken beforehand against possible danger.

9. Caution: A word or sign by which warning is given. Act or practice of being cautious.

10. Prevent: To anticipate beforehand and stop from happening.

11. Preventive: Anything that prevents.

12. Prevention: Act of preventing or Means of preventing.

13. Appliance: Electrical device which performs specific task (Eg: stove, heater, shaver, mixer
etc.)

OBJECTIVES OF SAFETY AND SECURITY MEASURES:

• To establish Safety Management System, Safety Audit System.

• To achieve 100 % Safety and 100 % Security of Installations, Equipment, Human life
and Animal life.
• To bring awareness about safety hazards and safety rules.
• To educate personnel.
• To understand Cause and Effect relationship in accidents and scientific phenomena
associated with electricity.
• To control the situation and prevent accidents, injury and loss to human life,
installations and property.
• To minimise loss in case of accident.
• To ensure prompt first aid and emergency help in case of accident.
• Study of unsafe acts and unsafe conditions leading to accidents. To take corrective
measures to eliminate them.

HAZARDS ASSOCIATED WITH ELECTRIC CURRENT AND VOLTAGE:

Persons working with electrical appliance/ equipment/ installation are exposed to electrical
hazards. The electricity is invisible, hence the hazards are ‘hidden’ and ‘invisible’.

1. Electric Shock due to direct contact with live wire/ conductor, while standing on
Earth or while in contact with metallic earthed part.
2. Electric shock due to direct contact with non- effectively earthed metal parts
carrying leakage current or fault current or induced currents.
3. Electric shock and burn injuries due to flash-overs from live part to the person in
contact with Earth or earthed metallic parts.
4. Shocks by capacitively charged electrical conductors disconnected from power
circuits. Eg. Capacitors, busbars. (H.V. circuits should be discharged after
switching-off)
5. Falling of persons from height due to shocks or flashovers while working on
overhead structures. Falling of perons in uncovered trenches, man-holes.
6. Falling of overhead parts such as conductors, hardware, structure members, on
body.
7. Falling of tools, objects, welding-sparks, on body.
 8. Explosion of oil filled equipment due to internal arcing. (Transformers, CTs,
Bushings, Circuit breakers). Explosion of high pressure gas filled equipment
(Circuit breakers).
9. Fires caused by electric loose connections, electric arcs, electric short-circuits,
electric flash overs.
Fires quickly spread and cause deaths due to burn injuries and release of poisonous
gases. Fires cause loss to property/ installation.

Fires are caused by:

▪ Loose connections in the power circuit
▪ Loose connections in the auxilary circuit
▪ Loose connection at terminals
▪ Breaking of conductors
▪ Overheating of conductor and burning of insulation
▪ Welding of oil-filled equipment.
▪ Electric faults in oil-filled equipment
▪ Electric arcs or faults in equipment having inflammable materials.
▪ Static electric charges, discharged through sparks.
▪ Lightning discharge
▪ Flash-overs
10. Release of poisonous liquids/gases. Eg: Release of arced SF6 gas from circuit
breaker during maintenance, release of synthetic fluids from capacitor cans.
11. Natural disasters like such as lightning strokes, earth quakes, land-slides etc.
12. Manmade diasters like sabotage, bombing.
13. Short-circuits caused by snakes,birds etc
14. Explosions or accidents associated with high power rotating machines due to
leakage of cooling medium, mechanical resonance, failure of mechanical parts.
15. Injury due to contact with rotating machine (fan, coupling) or moving mechanical
parts of mechanisms.
16. Sparks in electrical equipment installed in explosive atmosphere (mines).
17. Mechanical accidents due to failure of electrical controls/ interlocks/ protections/
machines or structure components, Vehicle accidents (crane,car,lifter)

WHO IS EXPOSED :

Electric field is invisible and silent. Persons who approach bare high voltage conductors
or encroach in high electric field are exposed to the danger of shocks and electrocution.
Persons touching non-effectively earthed, faulted metal parts in electrical installations
are exposed. Persons working in substations, power Stations, transmission lines, cables
etc. are exposed. Persons unaware of electricity and carrying out the work in the vicinity
of live parts are exposed. In general, the following types of personnel are exposed to the
hazards of electricity.
▪ General construction worker not related with electrical works but working in
the installation and moving in the electric field.
 ▪ Electrical technicians, fitters, supervisors etc., working with electrical
installations, equipment for erection, testing, commissioning, operation and
maintenance.
▪ Machine operators.
▪ Persons handling electrical equipment, appliance, devices.
Persons in substations, commercial buildings, residential buildings etc., are exposed to
hazards of fires caused by electricity.
From Safety angle, the persons exposed to electrical hazards are:
▪ Innocent persons who are not aware about electricity but have some other work
in the danger zone. Such persons are usually cautious and stay away from live
parts.
▪ Persons who work in electrical installations and have grown accustomed to
working and tend to be overconfident, careless and negligent. Such persons are
prone to serious accidents.
▪ Cautious and well-trained persons working with electricity are exposed
dangers due to 'mistake of others' or faulty/ unsafe equipment of situation.
For example: supply is switched on while maintenance is in progress.

The effect of shock is felt by only a few Persons, the effects of fire caused by electric
sparks, short circuits, insulation failure etc. can cause large scale destruction of property
and life.

Smoke, Destruction,
Electrical
Fire poisonous Deaths,
Sparks
gases, flames Injuries

Many unsuspecting innocent personnel are subjected to injury due to fires and smoke.

PRINCIPLES OF ELECTRICAL SAFETY:

Safety is concerned with accidents occurring due to electricity. Each electricity accident is
caused by certain unsafe act/acts by a person/persons and/or unsafe conditions. The
accidents must be prevented by effective Safety Management. Accidents/incidents must
be investigated and analysed. Preventive actions/Conditions must be enforced to avoid
similar and other accidents.
The basic principles have been reviewed.
1. Unsafe Acts and Unsafe Conditions: Each electrical accident is caused by certain
unsafe acts and/or unsafe conditions.
Behind one accident, there are several "chance misses".

2. Each accident should be followed by inspection, investigation to identify and pin

point the unsafe acts, unsafe conditions responsible for the accidents and recommend
 corrective actions to avoid similar accidents in future. Many of the accidents can be
prevented by enforcing Safety Management Systems.

3. For example, consider and accident caused by placement of ladder near live wire.
The inspection and Investigation resulted in identification of following act/condition.

The Unsafe Act: Placement of ladder near live bus in High Voltage Switchyard.

The Unsafe Condition: Entry in high voltage switchyard with ladder.

The Corrective Action: Switchyard to be provided with fence, gate, lock. Entry only
against work permit issued after making busbars dead.

The studies of H.W. Heinrich, the pioneer safety engineer, resulted in well-known
Heinrich Ratios (88:10:2) as under :
Causes of Accident:
Unsafe acts : 88%
Unsafe condition : 10%
Other unsafe causes : 2%

The Heinrich Ratios were widely accepted in the middle of the 20th century. During
1990's the correctness of these ratios has been questioned. Safety Management Systems
have received higher emphasis. By effective Safety Management, root causes behind
accidents are eliminated at the root itself.

4. Multiple Causes: Behind every electrical accident, there are causes and sub-causes.
The investigations should bring-out clearly the various causes and sub-causes and
recommend corrective action against each cause and sub-cause. This will help in
eliminating similar and other accidents in future. For example, consider the case of
accident cause by placement of ladder near live busbars.
The accident occurred in a 400 kV switchyard during minor repair work of lighting-
maintenance. Following causes and sub-cause were identified during the investigations.
▪ Switchyard had no fence. The person carrying ladder could walk-in and place the
ladder near live bus.
▪ The person carrying ladder was uneducated, untrained and of low IQ.
▪ The supervisor instructed the persons to carry the ladder and place it near the
structure. However, the person placed it near the live bus. The supervisor gave
unsafe instructions.
▪ Safety procedures were by-passed by the supervisor due to negligence.
▪ Work permit system was not established by the Management.

Corrective Actions:
▪ Fencing to switchyard with gate and lock.
 ▪ Work permit system established to ensure opening of gate only after making the
busbars dead /earthed.
▪ Safety training to supervisors and workers.

5. Unsafe conditions can be identified in advance and their harmful effects can be
controlled.
Unsafe conditions associated with electricity and electrical installations are:
• High Voltage installations and equipment.
• Erection at high rise levels.
• Storage of inflammable materials.
• High pressure gas filled equipment.
• Equipment filled with transformer oil.

Causes of an accident include "proximate causes" and "prime-cause". Prime Cause

of an accident can be attributed to weakness in Safety Management System of
organisation.
Management's policies, organisation and procedures, supervision and its
effectiveness, human resource development in safety systems have strong influence of
Safety.

6. Questioning Attitude: The function of Safety is of concern to everyone. The following

questions are helpful in identifying unsafe acts/conditions which may lead to an accident.
• What can cause accidents?
• What is the possible root cause and what are possible proximate causes that may
lead to various accidents?
• How can the situation be controlled to prevent the possible accidents? How can
the root causes be eliminated?

APPROACHES TO PREVENT ACCIDENTS:

Accident occur suddenly and unexpectedly. There can be one or more approaches to
prevent accidents and ensure safety.
1. Enforcement of Safety Rules and Acts- In this approach, the rules are made
mandatory. DOs and DONTs are specified and enforced. Persons should be made
accountable for acts. Unsafe acts must not be permitted. Punish persons for unsafe
acts. Reward for safe acts.
— DOs are Always.
— DONTs are Never.
Mandatory Rules and Laws regarding electrical safety are enforced on
Manufacturers, Contractors, Power Supply Company and users.

2. Human Resource Development Approach- In this approach, emphasis is on

training of every person for following Safety principles. Special training courses
 are organised periodically by HRD Centres. Persons are given the job training in
Safety under Senior experienced persons who follow safety methods.

3. Psychological Approach- The safety awareness is created in the work-place by

placing large sign boards, display of drawing, displaying DOs and DONTs,
conducting safety demonstrations, providing safety facilities, distributing safety
awards etc.

4. Safety Management Approach- Management is committed to Safety and

Accident Prevention. The Safety Manager is appointed and Safety Systems are
established. Persons are made ‘Accountable’ for their unsafe acts.

5. Engineering Analytic Approach- This approach gives emphasis on cause and

effect relationship, multiclause analysis and determines the various methods to
eliminate the possible causes at the root. For example, accidents due to Short-
Circuit can be prevented by automatic protection system, accidents due to contact
with charged conductor can be prevented by isolating and earthing the conductor.
Engineering approach is essential in electrical safety.

6. Total Quality management Approach (TQM) for Ultimate Safety- Safety is

ensured by Quality Assurance and Quality Control at various stages including:

— Specifications, Systems design, Product design, Manufacture, Testing,

Despatch, Receiving, Storage, Civil Works, Installation, Testing/Commissioning,
Operation, Maintenance, HRD and Safety Management.

TQM Approach introduced during 1980s insists on quality excellence at every

stage to ensure 100% safety. TQM covers design, production and site activities.
TQM is ultimate in Safety management. TQM correlates Quality with Safety and
gives an Integrated Management Approach for ensuring safety.

SCOPE OF THE SUBJECT ‘ELECTRICAL SAFETY’:

Electrical Safety deals with safety from electricity, supply system, electrical appliances,
plant, equipment. Very large energy flow can occur rapidly during electric fault.
Electrical Safety deals with safety of personnel, installations, plants, equipment and
property.
Electrical Safety covers safety aspects of installation/ equipment design, testing, erection
commissioning, maintenance activities as well as Safety Management.
The subject matter deals with :
— Causes and effects of electrical hazards.
— Scientific Phenomena associated with electrical safety.
E.g. Electric Shocks, Electric Fields, Flashovers, Hazards, Electric Explosions etc.
— Safety Acts and Safety Rules, safety Habits.
 — Specifications and Design for safety.
— Training in Safety.
— Safety during Project Construction.
— Safety during Plant Operation and Maintenance.
— Safety Management. Safety Organisation.
— Safety Documentation, Systems.
— Safety Audit and Safety Inspection.
— Safety devices and safety tools.
— Live line maintenance.
— Plant Quality, Product Quality and TQM.
— First Aid and Facilities.
— Loss prevention measures.
— Fire Prevention and Fire Fighting.
— Security measures.
— Investigations and analysis of Accidents /Mishaps.
— Insurance Coverage and Procedures,
Electrical Safety has a strong interface with General Safety, Industrial Safety and TQM.

PRIMARY AND SECONDARY ELECTRIC SHOCKS:

Electric Shock is a sudden stimulation of the nervous system of human body by flow
of electric current through a part of the body. Electric Shock is a life-threatening situation.
Shocks are caused by direct contact with live conductor or a flashover.
Primary Shock is an electric shock of such as magnitude that it may produce direct
physiological harm. The results of primary shock are: Fibrillation (irregular heart beat),
respiratory tetanus (continuous contraction of muscle).
Secondary Shock is a shock of such a magnitude that it will not produce direct
physiological harm, but it is annoying and may cause involuntary muscle reaction. Result
of secondary shock are annoyance, alarm and aversion and loss of balance due to
involuntary muscle reaction.

OCCURRENCE OF ELECTRIC SHOCK:

Human body gets electric shock when electric current flows through any part of the body
due to applied voltage difference across that part. The severity of the shock depends on
how much current is flowing through which part of the body and for how much time
duration. Result of electric shock can differ from simple annoying sensation (secondary
shock), serious burn injuries to sudden death within a few seconds.
Electric current flow through human body is essential for producing shock. Shock may
occur in one or more of the following situations:
— When part of human body bridges two phase wires by direct contact.
— When part of the human body bridges one phase and earth, two phases and earth, by
direct contact.
 — When part of the human body bridges two points of same phase at different potential,
by direct contact.
— When part of human body touches two points having potential difference across them
(due to supply voltage or induced voltage or charged voltage).
— Flashover involving part of human body.

Let Vb Voltage across the part of the body undergoing shock in volts.
Ib is Current flows through the part of body undergoing shock in amperes. (In practice
currents of 10 mA and above are in shock range)
Rb is Resistance of the part of body through which current Ib flows in ohms.
By Ohms Law, Ib = Vb/Rb.
Higher the voltage Vb : more severe is the shock.
Lower is the resistance: more severe is the shock.
High voltage (> 1 kV), Extra High Voltage (> 220 kV) are more dangerous.
Resistance of Human Body Paths
Body Path Resistance (Ohms)
Dry Skin 10 to 50 Mega Ohms
Wet Skin 1000 Ohms
Hand to foot 500 to 600 Ohms
Internal, excluding skin
Ear to Ear 100 Ohms
Internal, excluding skin

Dry skin is much more safer than Wet skin. Dry surroundings are safer than wet
surroundings. Skin with perspiration has low resistance.
— Wet walls and wet insulation are dangerous.
— Ear-to-ear shock is most dangerous.
— Hand to hand shock is very dangerous.
— Hand to foot shock is very dangerous
— Shock not involving heart, brain and involving only remote skin is less dangerous.
— Skin with cuts, wounds, bruises have low resistance.

POSSIBILITY OF GETTING ELECTRIC SHOCK:

Electric shocks may occur due to unsafe personal acts or unsafe conditions associated with
electrical work/installation. In practice, following types of supply systems are most
commonly used.
• Three phase AC system with neutral-earthed, either three wire system or four wire
system.
• Bipolar DC system with neutral earthed, either three wire system or two wire
system. One pole is positive and other negative with respect to earth.
 The earth is a good conductor and provides return path for shock current flowing through
body. Following are possible conditions for electric shock.
• Person standing on earth or in contact with earthed metal part touches bare
live/charged conductor directly or through metallic tool/rod/ladder/structural part.
• Person touches metallic part in the path of leakage current/ fault current/ induced
currents.
• Person touches poorly insulated high voltage conductor.
• Person comes in direct contact with two conductors at different voltage.
• Flash-over involving human body, lightning stroke involving human body.

(A) Shocks from 3 Phase AC System:

Three phase, 50 Hz alternating current system is used for generation,
transmission, distribution, and utilization of electrical energy. Modern 3 phase supply
systems are with earthed neutral point of generator/ transformer. Hence earth forms a
return path for shock currents flowing through human body.

Shocks with 3-ph AC System

The above figure represents a three phase four wire AC system with neutral
earthed. The neutral wire N provides return path for unbalanced current (IN = IR+ IY +
IB). The earth is a good conductor. The phase to earth voltages charge the respective
phase to ground capacitance. Earth is at the same potential as N. Even if neutral N is
not earthed at star point, the invisible phase to ground capacitance provides path for
return currents during shock to human body involving earth.
A person (A) standing on earth (N) and touching one phase conductor (R) gets a
voltage Vph , across the points of touching the conductor and the earth. A person (B)
 standing on ground and touching two phase conductors by hands gets voltage Vph ,
across the hand to ground and Vph-ph between two hands, ( 𝑉𝑝ℎ−𝑝ℎ = √3 𝑉𝑝ℎ )
A person (C) insulated from earth and touching one point of a phase conductor does
not get any voltage cross part his body (neglecting static electric field).
A person touching charged conductor already disconnected from supply circuit gets a
shock due to capacitive discharge currents through the body.

Shock from voltage across two points of same phase

A person insulated from ground and touching two points of the same phase at
different voltage gets shock due to Vx.

(B) Shocks from Bipolar DC System:

The figure below shows a Bipolar DC system with supply neutral earthed.
A person (H) touching pole conductor gets a shock by voltage Ud1 or Ud2 .
The Person (I) touching two points gets a shock due to voltage Ud1-2.
The person (J), in contact with only one live wire and not connected to the ground,
will receive no electric shock as the voltage is zero.
 Shocks from Bipolar DC system

SEVERITY OF ELECTRIC SHOCK:

Severity of electric shock depends on several factors including:
• Magnitude of current flowing through part of the human body. (Milli-amperes).
Magnitude varies with time.
• Waveform of the current flowing through the body (DC or 50 Hz AC or Impulse or
high frequency).
• Rate of rise of current flow (mA/ms).
• Path of current through human body (through heart/ brain or not).
• Time duration of current flow through body (Milli-seconds to a few seconds).
Other very important factors are:
• Capability of the person to withstand the effect of shock, state of heart, brain and
health, previous experiences.
• Phase of heart cycle at the instant of the shock.
• Whether body is thrown off by muscle reaction or gets attached by muscle
contraction/ paralysis.

The effect of electric shock depends upon the voltage, current and duration and also
the path of flow. Current through the heart, is most dangerous. Human tolerance to electric
field/current varies from person to person to some extent.
The resistance of human body (between tip of left-hand finger and right-hand finger
with dry skin) is of the order of 10 Mega-ohms.
However, when the hands are wet, this may drop to about 5000 ohms. Similarly, the
resistance of the skin of feet is high when dry and low when wet. Skin with perspiration,
skin with cuts/bruises/wounds has low resistance. Hence wet surroundings are dangerous.
The electric shock of even 50 volts a.c. can be dangerous in the wet surroundings.
Shock is most serious when the current density at touch surface is high and current flows
through the heart or brain. Several deaths take place every year due to electric shocks at
230 Volts a.c. In residential buildings and industries, serious accidents occur particularly
in wet surroundings like bath rooms. Once, the person comes in good contact with a live
Part and is in touch with wet ground, he cannot get separated from the live part as his
muscles get paralysed and he gets electrocuted.
 AC voltage wave has higher peak value than d.c. voltage of same level, AC
wave frequency matches with frequency of human heart, hence it is more dangerous.
(220 𝑉𝑟𝑚𝑠 wave has peak value = √2 × 220𝑉 = 311 𝑉).
If the contact is of a very short duration due to throwing off the person, the life
is saved. The victim may be saved by immediate artificial respiration.
The table below gives 7 levels of electric shock, duration of shock currents and
their effects on men, women and children.
MEDICAL ANALYSIS OF ELECTRIC SHOCK AND ITS EFFECTS:

Flow of electric current through a part of human body disturbs the human nervous
system. Human nervous system acts and coordinated various body functions. The central
nervous system conducts minute electric signals between brain and various muscles and
parts in the body including the heart and the lungs. These internal signals get disturbed due
to flow of externally caused electric currents. The interface between biological tissues and
external electric current manifests in the form of electric shock. Following effects are
observed at shock currents above 15 mA a.c.
Respiratory Tetanus (Medical)- Sharp flexion, twitching, cramps of muscles in
respiratory system localised inspiration/expiration for longer time than normal.
Fibrillation (Medical)- A small local involuntary contraction due to spontaneous
activation of muscle cells or muscle fibres. Also, rapid irregularity in tri-ventricular heart
muscles.
The human life is sustained by two important physiological functions.
(1) Respiration (Breathing)
(2) Heart beat / Blood Circulation
Failure of any one of them is dangerous (fatal) to life. Human body has central nervous
system. Minute Bio-Chemical electronic signals travel continuously through the central
nervous system and ensure continuous breathing and heart-beat. When a person gets, electric
shock, the external potential drives electric current through a part of the human body. This
shock current disturbs the internal bio-chemical electronic signalling in the central
nervous system.
The first reaction is loss of signal between the muscles and brain. Thereby the person gets
attached to the live conductor until removed with external help. The next serious effects is
on heart and lungs. The signals controlling heartbeat are disturbed and heart goes into the
state of irregular beat called ‘Ventricular fibrillation’. The rythm of electronic pulses
controlling the heart beat gets disturbed. The various muscles controlling heartbeat fall out-
of step with each other instead of working in synchronism with each other. The pumping of
blood becomes irregular and pumping rate reduces. The supply of blood to brain is reduced
and the person may become unconscious, breathing may stop and brain does not get
oxygenated blood.
The muscles controlling the lungs get contracted due to shock-currents and the lungs stop
the regular inhaling/exhaling functions.
 Effects of human body are influenced by:
• Human response, strength of heart, strength of body, phase of heart beat, path of
current through the body, rate of rise of current, time duration of current flow,
whether body is attached or thrown off etc.
• For children, the current values are half of corresponding values for men.
If heart is feebly beating, and the flow of shock current is stopped, the process may get
reversed and regular heart beat and breathing may be resumed. This reversal is helped by
‘Artificial Respiration’.

SHOCKS DUE TO FLASHOVERS/SPARKOVERS:

Flashover or Spark-over is a sudden disruptive discharge of electrical energy through

air (or oil or gas), caused by ionisation of the path between two conductors at different
potentials. When the voltage withstand strength of the air-gap reduces below the applied
voltage, gaps break-down and flash-over of an air gap can occur during power frequency
overvoltages or switching surges or lightning surges. Flashovers of an air gap can also occur
during humid atmospheric conditions when dielectric strength of air is lower than fair
weather dielectric strength. Flash over can also occur due to encroachment by
objects/persons in high field zone.
Flashover can also occur due to at weakest spot where air-gap clearance is lowest,
electric field strength is highest and the conductor has sharp points in high stress zone.
Alternatively, flash over occurs when an external objects/ person comes in high stress zone.
Flash over occurs in the vicinity of dirty insulation surface.
There are instances when persons who are in their working place in the factory
experience momentary electric shock though not in contact with conductors. The
investigations of such shocks reveal the following possibilities:
1. The shock originates in sparking between live part and neighbouring metal part such as
cabinets, structures, piping work etc. Due to poor insulation or reduced clearance, the
sparking may be momentary.
The metal parts are continuously connected through structural frame-work, water
piping, earthing matt, foundation plates. During the spark-overs, the persons in contact
with the metal structure etc. get a shock.
2. High voltage conductors are capacitively coupled with the earth. Each conductor and
intermediate metallic parts are at certain with respect to ground. Under certain
conditions the person may touch intermediate part which is at higher a potential with
respect to ground and get a shock.
3. The capacitance of apparatus (particularly capacitors, bushings, windings etc.) gets
charged and remains charged even after disconnection from supply. A person touching
such apparatus gets a shock. Before working on the HV apparatus, the parts should be
earthed, capacitors should be discharged.

a) Dangers from Sparkover/flashover:

• Person coming in contact with the flashover gets severe burn injuries and electric
shock.
• The clothes of the person catch fire and add to injuries.
• Flashover leads to fire of inflammable materials.
• Flashover along maintenance/servicing personnel result in both primary and
secondary shocks. The person may get electrocuted. The person may fall down from
structure of transformer tank due to secondary shock.
• Flashover may continue and grow into power-arc resulting in high short-circuit
currents and damage.
• Surface flashover along insulator surface leaves conducting tracks on the surface and
make the insulator useless.
• Internal flashovers may lead to internal power-arcs and explosion of the equipment
(porcelain, bushing, transformer etc.) and thereby cause damage to installation,
equipment and injury to personnel.
b) Internal and External Flashovers:
Flashover are of two categories:
(1) Internal to equipment (2) External to equipment
Internal Flashover within equipment occur due lo moisture entry, surface
tracking or insulation failure. The internal flashovers,if persist result in permanent arc
and lead to bursting of insulators and explosion of oil-filled equipment such as
transformers, oil-circuit breakers. The persons and equipment in the vicinity are
exposed.
External Flashovers are hazardous to persons in the vicinity due to possibility
of direct shock and burn injuries, loosing of balance and falling down, etc.
Usually the equipment is designed such that the external withstand level is about
80% lower than the internal withstand level. Hence external flashovers are more
probable.
In case of external flashover, the persons who encroach into the high field zone
may initiate the flashover and become a part of flashover path. In such an event, the
flash current flows through the human body. The shock and burns are very severe, due
to flow of current through the body.

c) Flash burns:
Flash path is a discharge of electrical energy through ionised gas. The flash path
has high temperature of the order of several thousand degrees celsius. Contact of the
flash with human skin or flow or flash current through human body cause serious burn
injuries. The clothes may catch fire due to the flashover resulting in additional burns.
Flash burns cover a larger skin area than contact burns.

d) Electrical Arc Blasts:

In addition to an electrical shock and burns, another hazards to employees is the
blast effect that can result from arcing. If the current involved is great enough, these
arcs can cause injury and start fires. Extremely high-energy arc can damage equipment
causing fragmented metal to fly in all directions. Low-energy arcs can cause violent
explosions or blasts in atmospheres containing explosive gases, vapors or combustible
dusts.
The hot vaporized metal from the arc blast will combine with oxygen and
become an oxide of the metal of the arc. These molten particles will stick to almost
anything actually melting into many surfaces. Clothing may ignite as a result of contact
with this molten material and a victim may receive serious burns. Also, your body has
an instinctive reaction when you are suddenly startled to breath in heavy or gasp.
Inhaling the hot vaporized particles will cause serious damage to your respiratory
system by burning the lungs, throat and esophagus (muscle connecting throat to
stomach).
There is no equipment available to completely protect electrical workers from
the effect of blast. However, safe practices such as standing to the hinged side of a
cubical door when operating a breaker, and other precautions listed below can be taken
 to minimise the effect of a blast. The main protections against arc blasts are listed
below:
Exposure Limitation: The amount of time you spend around high energy
equipment; don’t loiter.
Distance: Always stay as far away as possible from high energy equipment unless
you have a need to be there.
Mass: Try to keep some type of sturdy material between you and a potential blast.
Protective Clothing: Flash suits may offer some protection to minimize burns
resulting from blasts.
If an arcing fault occurs while a worker is in close proximity, the survivability
of the worker is mostly dependent upon system design aspects, such as characteristics
of the over-current protective device and precautions the worker has taken prior to the
event, such as wearing personal protective equipment appropriate for the hazard.
The effects of an arcing fault can be devastating to a person. The intense thermal
energy released in a fraction of a second can cause severe burns. Molten metal is blown
out and can burn skin or ignite flammable clothing. One of the major causes of serious
burns and deaths to workers is ignition of flammable clothing due to an arcing fault.
The tremendous pressure blast from the vaporization of conducting materials and
superheating of air can fracture ribs, collapse lungs and knock workers off ladders or
blow them across a room.

PREVENTION OF SHOCKS:

• Bodies/structures must be earthed.

• Conductors should be Insulated/Enclosed /Not-accessible.
• Person should keep clear distance from high voltage conductor.
• Person should wear safety insulating shoes and insulating hand-glows.
• Live line working should be avoided.
• Conductor should be touched only after making dead and discharged.

SAFETY PRECAUTIONS AGAINST CONTACT SHOCKS, FLASH SHOCKS AND

BURNS:

Safety precautions can be classified as:

• Safety Precautions in design of the Electrical Plant/Installations involving several
equipment, associated structures, earthing system, Civil works.
• Safety Precautions is design of electrical equipment and machines. Degree of
protection against accidents from electric shocks.
• General safety precautions.
• Safety Precautions in Erection of Plant/Equipment.
• Safety Precautions in Testing/Commissioning of Plant/Equipment.
• Safety Precautions in Operation.
• Safety Precautions in Maintenance.
 For a small residential Building, safety precautions can be listed in simple ‘DOs’ and
‘DONTs’.
For a large electrical installation, a systematic Safety Management System must be
established. Safety Rules must be enforced. Persons should be trained; safety facilities
should be provided.
Safety Precautions can also be classified as:
• Those for low voltage installations /equipment (< 1000 V)
• Those for medium and high voltage installations (< 33 kV)
• Those for extra high voltage (EHV) installations (> 220 kV),

RISK OF SHOCKS AND FLASHOVERS IS HIGHER WITH HV AND EHV

INSTALLATIONS AND EQUIPMENT

SAFETY PRECAUTIONS IN SMALL LV INSTALLATIONS, RESIDENTIAL

BUILDINGS, SHOPS:

• Before carrying out repair work, Switch-off the main switch, take out the fuse-
holders keep with you till completion of repair work.
• Use shock-proof appliances.
• Use Correct fuse wires.
• Miniature Circuit breakers are preferred.
• Do not use immersion water heater, exposed room heaters.
• Use good quality copper wires for wiring.
• Replace worn-out wiring.
• Do not allow water leakage, seepage in walls/over switch boards etc.
• Replace defective Switches immediately.
• While working on live wires, stand on a dry wooden stool, use insulated tools.
However, it is safer to switch-off the mains supply and then touch the wires under
repair.
• Ensure that earthing system is healthy. Provide secure earthing to appliances via. 3
pin plug socket.